Tender Snow
by Blackrose202
Summary: Lacie see's it's snowing outside and basically drags break outside for some fun. However, he also notices one unwrapped gift lingering under the Christmas tree, but as to who it's from is a mystery. (second installment) Series: Song Bird and The Joker


"Break look." Lacie smiled brightly, her eyes locked on the window and the snow that fluttered about. "It's snowing~"

"Hmm~?" Glancing up from the cakes he was munching on, Break turned to look out the window. "Oh, I see that it is. Lovely. And?" He shifted his gaze to her then.

"Was there something important about that?"

She pouted at his lack of enthusiasm. "Oh come on! It's snowing! It's beautiful outside and you don't want to go and play in it?"

Lacie skipped over to him, leaning on the side of his chair to look down at him.

"We'll I've always enjoyed playing in the snow." She pouted childishly at him. "Can we pleaaaasssse go make a snow man? I've never really made one before~" Did she sound childish. Yes. Did she care? Nope.

Break looked back down at the sweets, chuckling softly to himself. "My Lady must be influencing you, you sound just like her. Minus the sparkles, of course. No, the idea never really occurred to me."

Her pout morphed grin. "I'll keep pouting and whining until you agree with me~."

"I've put up with you for this long, I doubt a little pouting will do me any harm. I don't want to move, I'm too lazy~" Gazing back up at her, he found himself caught off guard by her smile. So this was important to her, was it? "Miss Lacie, I hardly think its necessary. Perhaps you can go with My Lady later. She'd like that."

"We'll you tend to whine about how you must eat all those sweets to enjoy whatever time you go left~ so why not enjoy playing in the snow."

"But its cold~ It'll kill me faster~" He was lying of course, but what did that matter. tugged at his sleeve, whining childishly. "Just for a little bit~~."

Lacie stared at him like a child would to their nanny of sorts, looking just as childishly stubborn as she added.

"And the worse you could catch is a cold."

"That sounds pretty miserable to me, I don't like getting sick." With one look at her pleading face, he couldn't help but give in. "Ugh, fine, whatever you want."

me

"Yay~!" She cheered, waving her hands up as she trotted off to grab the winter coats.

"Where are you going? I thought we were heading outside." Break blinked, watching her shuffle through the closet.

"We are, but I'm not about to jinx myself into getting sick." She answered, handing him his coat as she donned her own. "Ok, to the snow~!"

With much enthusiasm, she marched outside, spinning her hands up as snow drifted down in lazy swirls.

Pulling on his jacket, Break followed lazily behind Lacie, idly watching her as she spun around, smiling.

"Snow~~!" She laughed, her dark hair swaying over her shoulder as she spun. Losing her footing in the slush of snow, she fell on her back.

"Hm.."she hummed thoughtfully, then began to shift her arms and legs, sliding them to make her own snow angel. "Hey break? How do you get up after making a snow angel?" It sounded like a completely logical question to her..

He couldn't help but laugh. She was pretty darn adorable like that, with the snow falling all around her and wrapped up in that coat. Maybe the trip was worth outside was worth it after all. He sat down next to her. "I wouldn't know. Don't expect me to help~"

"Ok then." She sat up, shaking some of the snow from her head.

Looking around, she gazed at the snow thoughtfully. "Hm.. Where to begin.."

She scooped up a handful of snow, since she had absolutely no clue where to start.. "Break help me grab some snow." She shoved more snow in front of her as an example.

"But I just want to sit here and roll around~" He flailed around in the snow. Truthfully, he was content simply watching her having fun, and he couldn't do that very well if he joined in. "Rolling rolling rolling~" He sang.

"Pfft." She snickered at him. "Keep rolling and you'll become a snow man."

Laughing, she began to roll out some more snow. Eventually making a large ball.

"Snow man, snow man~" He kept singing. Sitting up, he turned to her. "You're always so focused on what you're doing. Even when you're having fun. It's weird." He shuffled over to her, plopping himself down on the snow ball. "Now you can't do anything~!"

me

"Ha ha, I've been foiled. Oh no~" she pushes him lightly. "I wonder if I can roll you with that"

"I wonder~ I believe my heads too large for that~"

Finding it too funny, she gazed at the man before adding her own weight by plopping over him. The snow ball efficiently crushed and squished. But she laughed, grabbing some snow to lightly toss on break.

"Now to make another one~~" lacie sing-sang merrily.

"You're real heavy~" He groaned when she jumped on him. What has with this girl and constantly touching him? Although, he didn't particularily mind it. Besides her heaviness, that is. That was the issue.

Lacie lept off him. "Make all the ones you want, I'm not moving~"

"We'll let's see~" she shoved more snow closer to their flopped forms in the off him, she ignored the snow decorating her coat. Eventually making another ball from rolling more snow together.

"And calling a girl heavy is rude." She threw a snowball at him as an emphasis of her disapproval. She then went on to her next ball of snow, shoving more snow into a mound and trying to roll it around.

"I didn't mean it like that, don't take me the wrong way or anything~"

She was heavy, but not in any sort of bad way, he never really considered that. You could tell just by looking at her that she had a rather charming figure, so if that was her concern, it was unneeded. He'd never say any of that, but he'd prefer to avoid a misunderstanding. Weren't some ladies fairly upright about such things?

"We'll I'm petite anyway." She muses, plopping her second ball on top of the fatter one. She then hopped off to an area by break with more snow. "Maa~, what do you think so far?"

Lacie began to roll another one, making it large enough that it was about the size of her arm. Lifting it up, she delicately placed it on the middle ball. Lifting her hands off it quickly and praying it didn't fall.

"I think its still cold, and I'd much rather be inside." Break retorted with a faint look of interest. "It's too tall now, I can't sit on it anymore~"

"Your not suppose to sit on it." Lacie laughed. Taking his hat, she propped it in the snowman's head.

"So~? I want to anyways. Who cares about that you're supposed to do." Instead, he fell back onto the ground, but kept his gaze on her.

"Hey, if you tilt your head, he kinda looks like you.." she snickered.

"No it doesn't, I'm better looking than that."

"To agree or not to agree, that is the question~~." She sang in a mischievous tone. Even shifting her gaze between then snowman and himself. "Well I don't know, it's got a rather charming feature."

"But I'm not round like that~" Break pouted, rolling around some more and stuffing his mouth full with snow. "I'm much more fit, and…" He looked down at himself, cringing his face up in annoyance. "…tiny."

"Your lean not tiny." She corrected is a surprisingly sincere tone. "And snowmen are generally fat." Catching herself, she switched to a more humorous tone. "And I'm sure your alternate universe self gained any pounds that you miraculously haven't gained here. Oh the women should envy that~"

"Stop making fun of me, it isn't nice~" Whining, he buried his face in a pile of snow.

"Miss Lacie's a bully~"

"Aren't you going to get colder..?" She raised an eyebrow at him, then began to doodle out a face with her finger.

"Hm.. Well.. I guess we can go back inside now, I've had my fun."

"Well I'd like to play more, but I'm more worried about the snow. The winds picking up and the snows sticking." She lifted her chin to stick out her tongue, catching a snowflake on the pink appendage.

"Unless you wanna try me in a round of snow ball, but you'd be totally outmatched~." She retracted her tongue, grinning at him.

"Fighting words~ I would actually, but it wouldn't be very polite of me to beat you that badly." A sly grin crept onto his face.

"Oh-ho. Someone suddenly confident." She smirked, grabbing. Handful of snow and hiding it behind her back. "Care to make a bet?"

"Hm. Loser brings the hot chocolate and winner decides the treats. Fair?" She met his gaze with a devilish glint in her eyes.

"Sounds good to me. Shall we begin?"

Standing, he thought he might as well give Lacie the head start. He was going to beat her anyways.

"Well go on then."

Lacie simply smiled. Then swung her fistful of snow, letting it fly past his head. She threw another at him, hoping it'd distract him.

"You won't beat me~" she laughed, chucking more snow at him.

Successfully evading her attacks, he laughed. "Good luck~" If he could beat all of Pandora in a fight, this one should be no problem. He let her throw a few more before tossing snow in her direction. All he had to do was get her to come close enough. Then he would let her have it.

Lacie kept her smile in place, throwing more snow. She even scooped up a large amount, but it was too much and it smacked the tree behind him. The noriette paced herself, using the snowman as a shield of sorts.

Break played along, let her hit him a bit, hit her back in turn, waiting until the most opportune moment.

When she ducked behind the snowman, he took advantage if the moment. Making Lacie believe he was still in front, he creeping up behind her, wrapping an arm around her her waist. Making sure she couldn't move, he dumped a pile of snow down her back.

"There, see~? You're blatantly out matched."

She squeaked when his arm suddenly snaked around her waist, and was about to struggle until an icy chill slid down her back. "Yeeeek!" She shrieked, shuddering at the cold and slippery feeling.

At his victorious comment, she lifted her chin to pout stubbornly. "You snuck up on me!" Feeling sour, she shot her snowball up. Immediately there was a cracking sound. Then, a full mess of snow fell on them both, soaking them in the snow.

"Soar loser, hmm~?" Laughing, he pulled away from her. "I did warn you~"

She pouted at him, huffing despite the pink that seared her cheeks. Unfair. Totally unfair of him to still be charming. Cheater. "Humph."

She shook her head and was about to comment when something scurried up her leg.

Immodestly, she froze. And didn't dare move a muscle.

"Um.. Break.." She stayed in the small pile of snow, still refusing to move.

"Yes?" He tilted his head in at her, curious at her sudden shift in mood. "Is something the matter?" This girl went through so many switches like this in a day, it was rather confusing.

"Um.." Holy shit.. How was she suppose to explain this? When the creature began to climb up, she paused, then felt her face reddened.

"C-can you, ah, turn a-around..?"

Beneath some snow, she tried to grab at whatever fuzz ball that crept up her skirt. Hoping to god he wouldn't notice.

"Hmm~? What ever for?" He continued to stare at her, a little bit weirded out. "What are you doing?" Seriously, what was with her.

"J-just do it! I can't say why!" Was it such an odd request? Honestly, it'd be humiliating to suddenly say she felt something crawling up her skirt! Him of all people!

Quickly, she threw a snowball, thankful that it hit his face. And just as quickly, began to feel for whatever rodent that wanted to use her as a heat source.

"Uh… Alright..?" Just as he began turning around, he felt a snowball hit his face. My, was she ever persistent "That was completely unnecessary, I'm doing what you wanted."

"Stu-ah ha!" Lacie flipped most of her skirt, holding some of the material, and regrettably exposing most of her pale legs to the chilling snow. Her other hand held a small mouse, it's beady red eyes locked on lacie and its tail curled in terror.

"If you wanted a heat source, my legs certainly wasn't the wisest decision."

Uh, what was she saying? Yes, he had been complaining about the cold before, but never had he done anything like what she was saying. Perhaps she was mad about him grabbing her…? That was the only thing he could think of.

"Oh!" Recalling that break didn't realize what was going on, she chuckled. "It's ok break. I had felt this little guy crawling on me earlier. You can turn back around."

"Oh… alright." He spun back around to face her, noticing the mouse dangling in her hand. "Oh, that's what happened."

She smiled at him, "the little guy gave me a fright for a moment." She petted the mouses head in a gentle manner, the mouse in turn relaxing in her hold.

"What are you doing? That's nasty, mice are gross." Cringing his face in disgust, Break picked up the creature, holding it by it's tail, and roughly poking at it.

"Don't be so mean to it." She scolded, patting her skirt from any snow as she fixed herself up. "And it's an animal like any other." She carefully picked up the mouse from breaks hold, carrying it away to the tree she had previously knocked the snow out of. "There you go." She smiled, letting the mouse scurry away on the tree.

Returning her smile with a frown, he sighed. "There's no point, it's just going to cause us trouble later. Your sympathy is wasted. It can't even think, all it does is get into the cellars." Although he said this, he couldn't help but be impressed by her kindness, no matter how wasted it may have been. "Shall we head inside then?"

"Hm, oh yes. Lets go back, I'm freezing!" Lacie races back inside, eager to feel warm herself and return to the fireplace.

"Oh, are you? Being out this long, I suppose it can't be helped." Unbuttoning his coat, he tossed it lazily on top of Lacie's head, heading into the manor without waiting for her. "You have to get the hot chocolate~"

She was surprised when his coat fluttered over her head, her hands holding it automatically.

….stupid man.

She felt a blush stain her cheeks as she stuck out her tongue at him when he wasn't looking. "Yeah yeah, I'll go get it…"

"Hurry it up then." He demanded when they got into the house, turning into the living room and throwing himself onto the couch.

Why that.. Ugh! Men! She hung his coat and her own, pouting since she had lost the round mildly fair and square. Walking to the kitchen, the norriette couldn't help but wonder how she fell for the man sometimes..

Sulkily, she fetched the hot cocoa and placed it on a small cart with cakes. But being a stubborn loser, as he so put it, she brought herself a bowl of strawberries.

Once back in the warmth of the family room, she sighed from the heat from the fire.

While Lacie was away gathering something for him to munch on, he busied himself preparing a fire. That would be quite enjoyable, perhaps he could even do some marshmallow roasting, that was always lovely.

Break stood when he heard Lacie enter the room. "Ah, took you long enough~" He grinned teasingly, sauntering up to her and stealing her bowl of strawberries.

"Ah, heeey! Those are mine." She tried to reach at her stolen goodies. "Gimme."

He pulled them out of her reach. "Nah, don't think I will. Consider it my prize for winning." Biting into the fruit with a sly grin, he sank back into his spot on the couch.

"No way! You get the cake!" She pouted, eyeing his slouched form on the couch. If she had to wrestle him for it, she would. No one took her strawberries..

"I get both, how about that?"

"Nope."

"Aww~ Why~?"

"Cake or strawberries. If you get the strawberries.." She walked back to the cart of cake. "Then I'll eat the cakes." And she was stubborn enough to do it.

"That's not nice, I want the cake~" Sitting up, he grabbed the cake away from her as well, taking his place on the couch once more. "I want everything~" Of course, he was more teasing her than actually being serious, although it would be nice to get it all.

"Hm.." Staring at him for a moment, she crossed her arms and smiled.

"Alright then, break. Gimme the strawberries or I'll tell Sharon that you bullied me to tears~"

"That's not fair." Pouting, he had no choice but to hand the bowl over to her. "But I get the cake then."

"Yay~!" Lacie grinned at her victory, taking the bowl from him. Still feeling cold tho, she tugged on the blanket, wrapping it around her shoulders.

Taking a warm mug off the stand, she took a careful sip of the chocolate beverage. "Mnn~3 So warm~."

Break stood up and crouched by the fireplace, stoking the fire and playing around with the logs. "Hmm, yeah." If he wasn't mistaken, he was feeling downright relaxed. It had been a while since he felt that much at peace.

With a sigh, he lay himself down on the floor, grabbing a blanket off the couch and burying himself among it. Turning back around, he noticed a single present under the tree. Oh, one had been missed? Reaching for it, he read the tag. 'To Lacie, love from Nikolais.'

Scowling, he tossed the gift over to the girl, not being careful at all. "It's for you."

"From that gentleman friend of yours, hmm~? I didn't know you two were close enough for gifts." His tone was cold.

Lacie had stiffened when she heard break read the name of the gift aloud. Shoot! She'd forgotten about that one…when he tossed it to her she had caught it clumsily. His suddenly harsh tone making her feel almost guilty.

"We perform together a lot, he's just a musical partner to me…" She muttered, a part of her wondering why she was even trying to explain herself. Not like her and break were in a relationship. The marriage being fake and her confession lost in the wind. Sighing, she un-wrapped the gift, seeing a small box. Carefully, she lifted the lid.

Lacie stared at the gift, not saying a word.

"No need to tell me any of this, it hardly concerns me. Though, this hardly seems like something a mere singing partner would do." He peered into the box when she didn't say anything. "What is it?"

Sapphire drops. Beautiful sapphire drops meant to dangle from her ears.. And she recalled that there was a meaning to something like this.

A part of her felt shocked, and she simply shut the lid before break could notice the contents of the gift. Tucking it away in her pocket, she smiled at break. "It's nothing special. I'm already happy with the gifts I have.."

"Alright, don't tell me, I hardly care~" Break sulked back to his side of the room. He couldn't help but notice Lacie fingering something around her neck. Oh, she was still wearing that stupid necklace thing he gave her. Technically it was from Sharon, but whatever. He frowned, but felt somewhat triumphant. "Good."

"Hey break.. Can you do me a favor?"

"Hmm~? What is it now?"

Strange. So strange.. She wasn't sure what she felt but some part of her realized what the gift from Nikolai meant. And her pocket suddenly felt very heavy..

"I'm sleepy~" she chided, "Can I use your shoulder~? I'm still cold~."

She smiled cheekily at him.

"That's hardly appropriate, Miss Lacie. There are pillows on the couch." Seriously, what was she thinking? Asking him for such a thing, it was simply ridiculous.

"Aw, your no fun~. And what's inappropriate about it? Jeez." She blinked, titling her head with a confused expression. She's done it before with gil.. So what's wrong if she did it with break..?

"It's a shoulder not a lap." She rolled her eyes, grabbing a cushy pillow to hold.

"Do whatever you want then, I'm too lazy too care." Actually, he was getting rather sleepy himself, and at the moment, it didn't seem worth the argument.

Quietly, she rested her temple on his shoulder, her dark locks shielding her eyes from him. Thankfully it was quiet and she simply enjoyed the warmth that was xerxes break. The calm feeling making her restless insides settle, if only for a moment, and began to drift to sleep.

'I wonder… How long can I continue like this..?' She though, her pocket still feeling heavy as she fell asleep on his shoulder. 'I really am a fool.'

Break stiffened when he felt Lacie leaning on him. Stupid girl, he thought, this whole thing was completely unneeded. Why did she need him if there was a perfectly comfortable couch to lie on? That obviously was the better choice.

He glanced at her as she fell asleep, he supposed it wasn't all bad. Seeing her so vulnerable didn't happen very often, not that he took any sort of pleasure in this. Still, her hair smelt fairly nice, and he couldn't deny how charming she appeared. Well, wasn't he an idiot.

Listening to the patterns in her breathing, he made sure she was asleep before moving. Not wanting to disturb her, he reached out, careful not to nudge her too much. Perhaps now he could see what that stupid man had given her

His fingers touched the box, and he slowly brought it closer to himself. Lifting off the lid, he peered in to see two sapphire earrings, a simple enough gift if not for the meaning behind it.

This fellow meant to make Lacie his wife.

Well, that was that then. He never really thought she liked him all that much, but he supposed he had been wrong about that. Whatever, perhaps they were suited for each other after all. Mattered little to him, just meant that he wouldn't have to babysit such a pain for very much longer.

Sliding Lacie off of him, he placed her head on the floor, leaving the gift opened. At least he wasn't going to have to deal with such silly things soon. Now it made sense why she didn't show him the present before. Probably wanted to keep the thing a secret or something.

Stoking the fire once more and dropping a blanket carelessly on top of the sleeping Lacie, he grabbed one of the uneaten cakes, taking it out of the room with him before mashing it into a pulp. After downing that, he indulged in several handfuls of candy, crunching each one obnoxiously with his teeth.

Sharon would be thrilled to hear about this in the morning.

(End)


End file.
